Tempest
by WingedCloudsofStrife
Summary: Fem!Cloud is brought to the past after the final battle against Chaos. After all is done and a new battle has begun; will she and her friends have the strength to save the world? What is Cloud and the other's true destinies? Leads into a HP crossover
1. Chapter 1

_It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance. It is the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance. It is the one who won't be taken who cannot seem to give. And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live._

Bette Midler

Knee's crashing to the floor; the armoured figured panted resting their weight against the blade vertically sticking out of the blood soaked ground. Taking a moment to gather their breath; he armoured figure gazed around at the devastation surrounding them. Once tall mountain peaks were now nothing but rubble. A faintly glowing light caught their eye and they turned their attention in time to see the corpse of Ultimecia fading away.

Shuddering the figure managed to drag themselves to their feet albeit they were incredibly shaky. They began to slowly make their way through the devastation with no real goal in mind.

_Why am I still here? The others have all been sent back to their worlds have they not? _

It was true Squall, Terra, Zidane, Bartz, Tidus and the others had all been transported back to their world's so when hadn't she?

"_Cloud,_" a voice she recognised came from behind her. Spinning around she came face to face with Cosmos. She was very tired looking but at the same time an untamed amount of joy was obvious in the way she held herself. Her once pure white clothing was now caked with dirt and grime. It was torn in several places. She had stood beside them in this fight.

Swallowing Cloud cleared her throat and kneeled, "My Lady Cosmos, why am I still here? Wasn't I supposed to return to my world after we'd ended this fight?" She lifted her head to look into Cosmos's eyes through the eye holes in her helmet.

A look of sadness flashed through Cosmos's eyes, "True that is what was supposed to happen. You are aware of how some worlds were swallowed by and destroyed at the beginning of this conflict are you not?"

Cloud nodded wondering where Cosmos was going with this when it hit her, removing her helmet a primarily a strange metal similar in appearance to steel but far stronger with a slit for the eyes. It came to rest just at the bottom of her nose and had gold and silver wings at each side. Hair going into its customary spikes though no longer as spiked as it once had been; she knew through experience that if she allowed it to grow past shoulder length it would go wavy and thus she preferred this length. It was now mostly slightly below chin length; long enough so that the spikes were weighed down slightly. She had two small patches sitting directly behind her ears; one on each side hat reached down to the top of her shoulder blades which had different shades of blue material interwoven with each other wrapped around them and which were tied off by a small pale silver chain. Her glowing blue eyes looked at the Goddess before her. "My world? My world is one of those swallowed at the beginning?" She questioned.

Cosmos closed her eyes and nodded, "Yes that is true I'm afraid." Opening them she looked with pity and sadness for the young warrior in front of her. She had given so much and everything had been taken from her. Truly the fates were cruel.

Cloud looked at the ground, Tifa, Marlene, Denzel, Vincent, Barret, Yuffie, Nanaki, Reeve, Cid all the people she considered friends were gone. Swallowed by the chaos and violence of the war. _How much more is going to be taken away from me? _But if her world was gone then why was, "if my world's gone how am I still here?"

Cosmos looked at her, "when you joined this fight, for the duration of this war you became a part of this world. Your energy came from this world not from your original world. That is how you were able to fight and survive here. Soon however you will lose your connection to this world and join the others of your world."

Cloud interrupted, "In oblivion you mean?" Cloud considered this, after everything every struggle the people of her world had been though they were doomed to oblivion.

"Normally that would be the case however because of your actions here; the guiding powers have decided to give you a chance in a new world. It is a world nearly identical to the world of your past. Before Sephiroth and Jenova." Cosmos looked at the young woman in front of her. She could see the indecision written across her face.

"Before? Before everything?" Cloud looked at her wearily, if she went through with this then she'd risk having to go through it all again. She'd also risk having to see the people she had considered friends when they thought of her as nothing but stranger.

Cosmos nodded, "before the events which would lead to Nibelhiem. This is to be our gift to you Cloud Skye Strife and only you."

"Wait! Why only me? There are others who deserved a chance for a different future did they not?" Cloud couldn't understand why she was the only one who was being given the chance to change things.

Cosmos smiled, "Because Cloud you're the last of your kind left and in the world you're being given a second chance in you were killed at the age of eight. No two of the same people can exist in the same world alive. It will cause an in balance. That world's Cloud's soul has already been returned to the life stream and melded with the other souls so that the soul is individual. It will mix with other souls to form a new one and that soul will go on to be reborn." The ground below Cloud seemed to open up. Cloud could only gasp as she fell into the seemingly bottomless abyss. "Good Luck. Child of Gaia."

* * *

Cloud ground as she slowly came to on the rocky ground. Opening her eyes she quickly assessed herself. She was still wearing the armour she had been when in front of cosmos. Standing up she gather herself and took in her surroundings. She was in a dense forest of some sort. Racking her brain she tried to think of places she knew of that had dense forests. The only place she could think of was- Wutai! That was it! She was in Wutai. Now she needed to figure out the time period.

She was unable to determine any further because at that exact moment two figures charged at her from the surrounding forest.

"Die Wutai Scum!" She could see by their uniforms that they were of Shinra's SOLDIERS.

Cloud tch'ed and summoned one of the smaller pieces which made up First Tsurugi. Catching the attack meant for her shoulder with the blade she side stepped and cut the man who had attacked her in half. She turned her gaze to the second man whom had frozen when she'd blocked the attack of his companion. She raised the sword at him and kept it level.

"Leave now unless you wish to meet the same fate as him." She addressed him coldly using her blade to indicate the body which was now returning to the life stream. She was tired and wanting to simply eat and sleep for a week.

The man just growled, "you think I'd leave now that you killed my companion. If he was so easily beaten then he deserved death but you. You're too cocky for a pathetic and weak female!" He charged at her; she sighed. Men had such big egos! It was obvious she out classed him and yet he was still determined to show that he was stronger than a 'weak female'. She was just happy no one was able to call her short anymore. She was now 5 foot 10inches in height.

Dancing around him when he charged at her wielding that massive weapon of his. She used the weapon in her hands to slice straight through the metal of his Shinra issue broad sword. The man rapidly paled at that. He looked from his sliced through sword to the sword in her hand and then to her.

"Now leave," Cloud said in a voice which promised death if he did not. The man fled in terror.

_Figures that a man who talks down on people is a coward. He didn't even care that one of his comrades had just been killed._ Shaking her head she wandered away from the clearing. She stopped once a thought occurred to her. _Shit! My helmet was off. No doubt he go talking about the young woman in strange armour who killed his companion. I just know that'll catch Shinra's attention; oh well come what may._

* * *

Cloud sighed as she relaxed in a natural hot spring she had found. She'd walked fast for nearly two hours before coming upon it. Deciding to rid her of the blood and grime coating her body she'd stripped out of the armour and got into the hot spring. Surprisingly when she'd finished stripping out of her armour and had turned around a small bag was nearly in the bunch of trees. Looking inside, it had contained a change of clothes, a towel and a note.

_Cloud,_

_This isn't much but it's better than waltzing around in armour, I'm afraid this is the last thing I can do for you._

_Good luck_

_Cosmos._

So she was in the past. And in the middle of the Wutai-Shinra war wonderful. But her path. What should she do now? Who could she trust? The people she had once known weren't who they were or better yet who they were going to be. Her head snapped to the left when she heard a twig snap. Grabbing the towel she'd pulled from the bag she used it to cover herself and summoned the sword she'd used earlier.

She prepared herself for attack and then-

"Haha! I the single white rose of Wutai shall destroy you! Shinra dog!"

This was not what she had been expecting. Blinking her eyes she took in the sight in front of her. It was Yuffie as a little child. Her eyebrow twitched when she saw her going through her bag in search of Materia probably. Shaking her head and sighing she sent the sword back and wrapped the towel around her.

Walking over to where Yuffie was rummaging through her bag. She walked up behind her and grabbed her by the back of her clothes.

"Let go of me!"

Using her free hand Cloud rubbed the bridge of her nose. "What are you doing?"

"Stealing from you of course. Or at least I would be but you don't seem to have any Materia with you." Was the reply she got.

Cloud gave a small snort. Meeting Yuffie and having the remnants steal her Materia; she made sure her Materia was where no one else but her could get to. With First Tsurugi.

"Whoa! Check out that armour!" Yuffie seemed to have spotted her armour. She let Yuffie go so she could take a look at it. She seemed fascinated by it. Cloud shrugged and decided since Yuffie was distracted by the armour she would get dressed.

Gathering the clothes she went behind a tree. It felt weird having normal clothes on again after having gotten so used to wearing her armour. It allowed for a much more mobile range of movement but it was so light it felt like she wasn't wearing anything. Looking down at herself she took note of her clothing.

Now she was wearing black tank top with an over shirt which went half way down her stomach and sleeves that came to her elbows which had slits running down the arms at constant intervals. The over shirt was black. She also had black cargo pants on and black combat boots. Around her waist were two belts; one of which had a wolf keychain hanging off it.

Walking back out from behind the tree she looked at Yuffie wondering what she should do now.

* * *

Cloud's armour is what lightning in ff13-2 wears. Warning this starts off a time travel and will be about that for the first few chapter but then spirals completely away from FFvii timeline. Also in regards to when this spirals away from the ffvii time line if someone can guess what Cloud really is before i put it in then congrats.


	2. Encounter

_I don't believe in accidents. There are only encounters in history. There are no accidents._

Pablo Picasso

"Put me down!" Yuffie struggled against Cloud, beating her small hands against the arm holding her. "I won't get into any trouble, I swear."

Cloud glanced down at her in slight annoyance, "you can forget about that. The last time I let you walk, you managed to piss off a King Behemoth and in only five minutes."

Yuffie crossed her arms as best as she could, "yeah well I was just about to defeat when you showed up."

Cloud stopped her walking and raised an eyebrow at the girl under her arm, "so you being nearly crushed under its foot was part of your grand strategy was it?"

"That's rights."

Cloud shook her head and continued walking. She'd been carting around Yuffie for two days now and was really hoping she found a village that had a temple where she could dump Yuffie and then she could go and think about what she needed to do.

She'd already caught Yuffie trying to make off with her armour. Not that she had much attachment to it given what it represented but still it would be a pain in the ass if someone who realised it was made of a metal they had never seen got a hold of it. That would be fun explain where she had gotten it, 'oh I fought in a interworld battle against Chaos and his chosen fighter of my world Sephiroth whom I'm had already killed.' Yes that would go down really well. As such she had sent the armour away. She still hadn't quite worked out where though.

It was two hours later with Yuffie whining all the way that she came across a village which had a temple. _Thank Gaia_. Cloud said with her eyebrow twitching. The Yuffie of the future may have been her friend this one however was an annoyance right now.

Simply wanting to be rid of Yuffie; as mean as that sounded; she wandered into the village just knowing she was going to cause a problem. She was right. Although given how she looked and the fact that their country was at war now she really couldn't blame them for it; still it made a pain in the ass.

The minute the villagers had seen her they had sprung into action. The women and children had retreated into the forest and the able bodied men had picked up whatever they could find to be used as a weapon. This however had nothing on the reaction that occurred when they caught sight of Yuffie.

"Its the Princess!"

"Let her go you Shinra scum!" The man with a sickle charged at her. Seeing the man approach with weapon poised to strike Yuffie gave a small scream. Cloud however didn't have much of a reaction except to jump and then kick the man lightly in the back once she'd flipped over. He fell to the ground behind her as she landed. Looking at him she grabbed the weapon he'd intended to use against her.

Testing it weight she then threw it at the forest she had just come from. It imbedded itself nearly completely in the tree. Turning she faced the villagers in front of her, ignoring the unconscious man behind her.

"That was a rather stupid thing to do don't you think?" Her speaking Wutanese must her shocked them slightly as murmurs ran through the crowd of villagers. They glanced at each other and then back at her unsure of what to make of her. She knew that it was likely that those who worked for Shinra had never bothered learning there language and therefore when they spoke it was only in English.

The assembled group parted as one of the priest from the temple stepped forward. He was very old and dressed in the traditional priest garb. (What Shinto priests wear) He moved closer to her but stopped at least two meters away. His dark brown eyes sweeping across her; wearily. She was glad she hadn't brought out First Tsurugi that would've complicated things a lot.

"Stranger, what is it you desire to do with the princess and this village?" His voice despite his apparent age was strong. He stance indicated that he was proud and firm in his beliefs.

Cloud looked at him, analysing him. "I merely wish to give the princess over to those who will return her to her father."

The priest frowned at her, "You expect us to believe you. You who bare the colouring of those who carry the Shinra blood?"

Cloud twitched slightly, "Yes I know I look similar to those born of Shinra; however I have never known my father and I don't know his name either. So even if I am a child of Shinra; I hold no love neither for him nor his company."

The old priest just continued to stare at her and it was starting to be unnerving. Sighing she put Yuffie on the ground; turned around and walked back to the forest well aware of the eyes watching her every move. As she walked past the tree with the sickle she turned to gaze at the village; they hadn't moved much the only real difference that she could see was that the priest had his hands on Yuffie's shoulder's and they were watching her depart. His eyes with an unidentified emotion. She turned and didn't look back.

* * *

No longer having to deal with Yuffie struggling; Cloud made much better time and didn't get into as many fights. Also she'd summoned First Tsurugi in its entirety and it was now divided into its separate holders on her back. In addition she'd managed to buy some decent fighting clothes from a store when she'd found a larger village. It was ridiculously over prised but they were much easier to move in; she'd kept the cloths given to her by Cosmos in the small bag which she had strung around her waist. It was similar to what she'd worn in her world except it wasn't a SOLDIER styled sweatshirt instead a black tank top, fighting gloves similar to what Tifa had worn when they had been fighting against Sephiroth except completely black. She had the same type of pants as her outfit in her world and boots. She had travelled a fair distance from the village in which she had dropped Yuffie off in. She wasn't sure where exactly she was going. She was just going where her feet took here.

_So Jenova and Sephiroth. What am I going to do about them? Jenova is easy; just need to go up to the Nibelhiem reactor and destroy her. I don't want to have to fight all of SOLDIER just to kill Sepiroth so I have to find a way to get him on his own. Then there's Hojo and his blasted research in the Nibelhiem Manor. _

Cloud continued walking not really noticing that the trees were becoming less dense in number.

_I've got it! I destroy Jenova and Hojo's research while I'm in Nibelhiem. Jenova I'll need to run though with First Tsurugi and a couple of Firaga's will do the job hopefully and as for Hojo's research first things first. I'll need to wake Vincent up and then convince him to leave. Then that mansion is burnt down to the ground with all those disgusting notes._

Cloud was brought out of her musings when she looked up and saw she had wandered into a army camp of some kind. Looking around her; she saw a number of infantry men staring at her as well as one running off _probably to find a SOLDIER or TURK or something._ Cloud however didn't pay that much mind to that specific infantryman instead she paid attention to the ones who were now aiming their guns at her. She eyed them. She hated guns given that they were what had taken Zack from her.

Cloud shook her head; now's not the time to think about Zack. Her focus once again narrowed in on the infantryman in front of her. She reached back to grab two of her swords. Pulling them out she saw that the infantryman were becoming nervous.

"You there. Girl! What business do you have here?" growled out an obnoxious male voice.

She turned her attention to see a large SOLDIER coming towards her. He was extremely tall and muscular. She could see in his eyes that he loved to hurt others. He stopped a meter from her. He had dark brown hair in a military cut and black eyes. His eyes sweeping across her frame. She could see the beginnings of something; she couldn't name the emotion.

He gave a lecherous grin, "maybe goldilocks here wants to play with a big SOLDIER aye?"

Cloud didn't react just continued to glare at him. She released what that emotion was now; lust.

"My names Bryan, SOLDIER 2nd Class and what's your name, goldy?"

Cloud ignored him; putting her weapons away and turned away. The SOLDIER-Bryan-fumed. "Now where do you think you're going cutie?"

"Away from you." Was Cloud's response without even turning back as she continued walking away and into the forest. She had walked quite a fair distance into the camp without her realising it.

"Too bad while the Commander isn't here I'm in charge and I say you can't." He'd pulled out his weapon; a large rapier and charged at her; intent on either stopping her from leaving or killing her, she wasn't sure which. He didn't care about the six or so weapons she seemed to be carrying. A girl couldn't carry such a weight, they had to be fake was his train of thought.

Cloud levelled him a glare as she ceased walking and turned slightly. Waiting until he was nearly upon her; with speed to great even for the 2nd class SOLDIER to catch; she grabbed one of her weapons out to meet his own. He stared wide eyed at the small sword and young woman who stopped his blade single handed. Cloud kept her senses trained on both the SOLDIER in front of her and the infantryman to the side who were staring at the pair more specifically her in shock.

His eyes still trained on her weapon; she used her free hand to pull another of her weapons out. Pressing it against his throat she looked at him in the face and said, "I have no business here, it was an accident that I came upon this camp. Now leave me be!" She removed the weapon from his throat and knocked his weapon away from him using the arm which had originally blocked it.

She was about to turn and walk away when she felt a sword poke her in the back. The SOLDIER in front of her gained a wide-eyed look and sputtered, "Commander Rhapsodos sir!"

Rhapsodos, where had she heard that name before? She couldn't remember. She knew it was important somehow but she couldn't remember why. She hated having holes in her memory.

"What's the problem, SOLDIER?" came a voice which seemed more suited to poetry than a commander on a battle field.

The SOLDIER saluted, "sir, the young woman before you wandered into our camp. I was trying to determine whether she was an enemy. She claims she accidentally wandered into our camp, sir."

"Really?" the sword was removed from her back, "turn around, now."

Cloud reluctantly turned to face the commander.

Upon seeing him her eyes widened slightly but not enough to be noticeable. He was Genesis Rhapsodos! The one who sent Sephiroth looking through Nibelhiem Manor for answers on the truth of his birth. Answers which sent him insane.


	3. A Strange Occurance

_In__ nature there are neither rewards nor punishments; there are consequences._

Robert Green Ingersoll

Genesis looked at the young woman in front of him. She was rather tall for a girl, being roughly 5 foot 10 in height. Her hair was a blonde a few shades brighter than that of Lazard or the President's son. It was spiked down slightly and she had weird brightly wrapped pieces of cloth coming from behind her ears.

He narrowed his eyes upon seeing her eyes; they were glowing with Mako. "Tell me where you got Mako enhancements from." Was she someone who had been enhanced by the enemy?

The SOLDIER and infantryman surrounding them took in sharp breaths. It became clear to him that they hadn't taken notice of the fact her eyes glowed. Genesis resisted the urge to growl; unobservant idiots; this was just another thing he didn't want to deal with on top of the injury on his back.

She tilted her head to the side and observed him; all his senses seemed to scream that she was a predator and a powerful one at that. That he should be weary of her. It didn't seem as though she was going to respond so he was about to ask the question again when-

"No Mako enhancements. I fell into a Mako pool as a child and got a severe case of Mako poisoning," her voice wasn't overly feminine. It sounded as though it could be for both a girl and a boy. It gave no real clue to her age other than that she wasn't older than him.

Genesis scowled. She wasn't saying the truth. He was already on edge from the fact the injury from his fight with Sepiroth still hadn't healed and in actual fact seemed to be getting worse. "Then I'm sure you wouldn't be adverse to our doctors taking a look and seeing how you recovered when most don't?"

That got a reaction from her, although it seemed to be a fight or flight response. In this case being a fight response. Moving Rapier he blocked her side attack from the blade in her left hand but unfortunately forgot about the weapon in her right. She jabbed at him and would have succeeded in stabbing him if he hadn't jumped at the exact moment however he managed to get a swipe in at her arm cutting it open; she didn't even flinch. Flipping back and landing he saw the SOLDIER and infantryman preparing to attack the woman.

"Don't this is my fight, understood." The SOLDIER and infantryman hesitated until he barked out another understood. They stood down. Although it was obvious that they didn't really want to.

He returned his gaze to the woman in front of him; her eyes hadn't moved from him and she was glaring at him. His eyes moved to the cut on her shoulder; it was slowing in its bleeding, a sign of Mako rapid healing. He returned his gaze to her face, "not too bad what is your name?" He cocked his head to the side. She seemed like a fun opponent.

She once again seemed to be analyzing him, finally, "Skye." He raised an eyebrow somehow he doubted that was her real name. It was obvious she knew that he knew she hadn't given him her real name.

Shrugging slightly he launched at her with a fierce barrage of strikes with Rapier. She blocked each one. Jumping back he fired up Rapiers magical energy causing the runes all over it to glow red by running his hands across it.

'Skye's' eyes widened. Genesis smirked. _Let's see you block this._ He jumped up in the air and came down hard with Rapier. Causing a force of energy to knock the SOLDIER and nearby infantryman to their feet. It wasn't as large as it could have been because Genesis was aware of just how close the SOLDIER and infantryman actually were.

Once the dust brought up by the energy let loose he hissed "impossible," when he saw she had not only successfully blocked his attack but was also uninjured. Not even the wound on her shoulder seemed to affect her ability to block.

'Skye' took advantage of his momentary shook and using the sword closer to herself; withdrawing it from it place underneath the other; she'd used the one she drew back as reinforcement for the blade that had actually met his Rapier, she stabbed him. Genesis coughed as he was impaled. She'd moved just as faster if not faster than he had ever seen Sephiroth move. Or maybe it was because he had been feeling sluggish lately.

* * *

Cloud glared at the man who was responsible for Sephiroth reading those damnable reports which led to him being Jenova-crazy. He caused Nibelhiem, if he hadn't mention those things Sephiroth might never have even stumbled across them.

She had told him that she had fallen into a pool of Mako when she was younger. However when he suggested that Shinra's doctors take a look at her to determine why she survive and many did not she attacked him. She refused to let anyone do any test of any sort on her. She valued her freedom far too much. He blocked her attack from her left hand and so she used the smaller piece in her right to jab at him. He however dodged it by jumping and had managed to slice her across the arm; deep enough so that she had a feeling it would scar.

She resisted the urge to growl; she already had more than enough scars she didn't want nor need any more. He called off the SOLDIER and infantryman who had been preparing to attack her.

"Not too bad, what's your name?" Genesis questioned her.

Cloud paused debating on whether or not to grace him with an answer when she decided to say her middle name, "Skye." She could feel the Mako in her blood steaming the bleeding.

He obviously realized she hadn't given him her real name; he shrugged and ran a hand along the red weapon he held after trying a fierce barrage of strikes. Runes began glowing red all along the sword. _Impossible, that's a!_ She didn't have any more time to think about his sword because he came crashing down on her with his weapon. It wasn't all that difficult to block, however the thrum of magic it let off caused her weapons to vibrate themselves. She was sure the ones on her back were doing the same. Thankfully her injury to her shoulder didn't seem to have caused any problems.

"Impossible," he hissed at her. Cloud just eyed him warily. That attack made her uneasy. No attack even one using magic had ever made her swords thrum as though excited. She had an idea on how that was possible but surely she was mistaken. He was still distracted so she took the opportunity to pull the sword closer to her from its position and stabbed at him. Impaling him.

* * *

The moment her sword pierced him Genesis hissed. More than just the pain of the weapon there was something else. All his cells felt like they were on fire and swimming at the same moment. A sort of ripping pain in his shoulder but nothing came out. He had never felt anything like this. Looking down at the weapon which had impaled him he saw it glowing green as if the life stream was flowing through it or a cure was being used by it. Feeling really lethargic; he took one last look at the young woman before him and blinked; where the young woman had stood just moments earlier was now a long haired blonde woman who slightly resembled an elf of legend in ornate golden armour, he blinked again and it was gone. The burning got worse and he closed his eyes allowing sleep to take him.

* * *

Cloud stared at her weapon still pierced inside Genesis. It was glowing! Faintly she could see what looked to be life stream going into her weapon but that was impossible wasn't it? She blinked remembering what Vincent or rather Chaos had once said to her. "_Those swords you wield are made from the remains of the planet's WEAPONS. They will have abilities you could never dream of and given who you are; they'll be truly powerful indeed." _She still didn't know what he meant by who she was. She was Cloud Strife. She watched as Genesis blinked and his eyes widened then blinked again and seemed to fall to sleep. Her weapon had ceased glowing and so she pulled it out of him. Allowing him to backwards. She could already see a small amount of blood seeping through his clothes. She narrowed her eyes; given that she had just stabbed him with a sizable blade there should have been more blood than that.

She turned her attention to her weapon and stared. Wondering what it had done exactly and why it had caused a wound which didn't seem to bleed at a rate consistent with its size.. She racked her brain in an attempt to rationalise what she had just seen but Vincent's words echoed in her head repeatedly.

"You bitch!" Rang out in the once silent air. Turning swiftly she caught the attack of the SOLDIER from earlier. He was furious at her. She looked over at the infantryman and all of them were preparing to fire.

_Shit_.

She kicked at the man; knocking him away from her and used that moment of distraction to dash into the trees. She could hear them open fire in a vain attempt to hit her; she swerved slightly in an attempt to confuse them. She heard the SOLDIER yell at them to follow her and also to call a medic.

Cloud kept running and didn't stop for three hours. When she did she once again pulled the weapon that had stabbed Genesis and looked at it. She noticed that it seemed to have gained some rune looking markings. What now? Cloud leaned against a tree; closed her eyes and grit her teeth. Now that she had been seen able to fight on par and above the level of Genesis; Shinra would be after her. Things had just become a lot more complicated. Opening her eyes she looked at the stars above her; as if trying to find an answer from them.


	4. Nibelhiem and Discovery

_It__ is never too late to be who you might have been._

George Elliot

It felt strange for Cloud to be in the home of her birth. She'd almost completely forgotten what it looked like. After Sephiroth had destroyed it and Shinra rebuilt it with fakes she hadn't felt the need to come back up here. Unless for deliveries of course but those were far few and in between.

Looking around her however; she could easily spot differences between the real and the fake. For instance the general store sign was a faded yellow not a faded red and the Mayors house wasn't as grand as the one Shinra had built.

As she wandered around she could feel the stares of suspicion and downright hatred from some of the people here.

"You! Girl what business do you have here? Answer me!" A nasally voice called out. She turned and faced the owner with a glare. He faltered. Cloud fought to keep the annoyance off her face. It was the Mayor. She'd never liked him and he'd never liked her.

He was a short balding man; whatever hair he had was grey in colour. He wore a greying suit which was clearly to small on him. He looked in his early forties to late forties. He was slightly overweight with a pongy belly. He stopped walking when he was right in front of her and she noted with some amusement that she had to look down to see him.

He glared up at her, "Now what business do you have here?"

Cloud raised a blonde eyebrow at him but still answered regardless, "I'm looking for someone." _Not a lie._

"Who!" The Mayor demanded.

Cloud's impassive eyes seemed to unnerve the man as she debated answering, "The Strife's if you really must know."

The Mayor's eye's widened as he turned a pale colour and the surrounding villager's began to murmur amongst themselves. The mayor sputtered for a few moments then, "don't know anyone with the last name 'Strife'."

_He's hiding something. _Cloud turned to gaze at the villagers gathered. All refused to meet her gaze. _They all are._ She turned to look at the man in front of her, "I greatly dislike those who lie Mayor. I know the Strife's live here or at least this is where the trail ends."

The Mayor swallowed. "And I told you I don't know anyone with the name Strife. Never have."

Cloud's mouth curved into a small smile, "Actually you do. _I'm a Strife._"

She enjoyed the wide eyed looks of horror on the town's people's faces when they heard she was a Strife. Funny she hadn't enjoyed doing this to people so why had that changed? She figured it had to do with having been around Chaos who was sealed in Vincent.

The Mayor had to visibly gather himself before he spoke. "Like I said there's never been a Strife up here. Now _Miss_ if you'd be so kind as to leave our village." He made a gesture towards the entrance of the village.

Cloud stood her ground. She wasn't intimidated and neither was she fooled. They knew something. Something they didn't want an outsider to know and it had to do with the her of this world and her mum.

"Well if there's never been a Strife up here before then why the reaction when you heard my last name?" Cloud cocked her head to the side.

The Mayor fidgeted. Okay now she was downright suspicious. She couldn't see the house she had lived in. Even if she had died and her mother had left surely their house would still be here. In fact she could see a flower garden where she had been. Cloud huffed slightly and walked past the still fidgeting Mayor.

He called out to her, "Where do you think you're going?"

She turned as she was nearly at the entrance to the mountains. "A look around; surely that's not a problem is it?" She smirked at him when he fumed and she continued up the mountain.

Her enhanced hearing caught his mutterings, "maybe that place will get rid of her. That's a thorn out of our side."

No one noticed a small black headed figure watching from behind a house.

* * *

Cloud had been walking for a good two hours or so and had yet to run into monsters. However she seemed to have picked up a stalker by the sound of things. She stopped and put her hands on her hips.

"Come on out. I know you're there." She called. She didn't expect here to see a small figure with black hair to emerge. Her eyes widened on realising who it was.

Tifa! She looked to be about ten or eleven. She could see that Tifa had a question on her face. She smiled slightly at her in an attempt to show she meant no harm. It appeared to work.

Tifa walked closer to her and stopped less than a metre away. Cloud removed her sword from her back and placed it on the ground she that she could kneel more comfortably. Crouched in front of Tifa so that they were nearly eye to eye seemed to make her more comfortable.

Cloud tilted her head to the side. "Yes, you seem to have a question in your eyes."

Tifa blushed slightly, "well it's just you know my father, well you told him you were a Strife. Is that true?"

Cloud nodded, "yes, I'm the younger sister to the Strife who came to live here." Not the truth but she couldn't exactly say she was a niece given that she looked too much like her mother to be anything but a daughter or a sister.

Tifa's eyes sparkled at hearing that but seemed to dim, "well um dad didn't tell you this but Miss Strife well did indeed come to live here and she brought a new born child with her when she did. A girl, Cloud."

Cloud nodded as though this was new to her. "What happened?"

Tifa bit her lip and scrunched her hands into her shirt; she seemed torn at telling her that. "Well Cloud died three years ago and Miss Strife disappeared 5 months ago. But.."

Cloud put her hands on Tifa's shoulders in a soothing gesture. "Go on. But what?"

Tifa had tears falling from her eyes as she spoke, "Miss Strife had a second child a little boy about two years after Cloud died. I don't know who by but..."

Cloud's eyes widened, a brother! Cloud swallowed and licked her lips. "What about this boy?"

Tifa sniffed and wiped away the tears that remained. "He, he, he's still in the village."Suddenly she lunged at Cloud. "Please, I'm begging you take him away from here!" There was hints of hysteria in her voice.

Cloud was slightly uncomfortable with the contact, however she rubbed the girl's back in an attempt to show comfort. "Why? Why do you want me to take him away?"

She had to strain to hear TIfa's response. "Because then he'll be _safe_. " She pulled away to look Cloud in the eyes. "Please, if you hold any love for your family I beg of you keep him safe."

Cloud closed her eyes. When she had first come up here she had never expected to discover a family member. However this raised the question of where her mother had disappeared to and why she hadn't taken her brother with her. Opening she looked at the girl and gave a small smile. "Yes, I will take the boy with me but there are things I must do before that okay?"

Tifa seemed relieved; then she looked tense however. "Promise me something. That no matter what you find with him you won't destroy this village."

That sent alarm bells ringing in Cloud's ears. What? "If you have to ask me that then it must be something bad. The most I can promise is I'll try not to get mad."

Tifa nodded and she began to run back to the village. She stopped and turned to Cloud, "meet me at the entrance to the village at sunrise tomorrow. Okay?"

Cloud nodded. That should be fine. Tifa left and Cloud continued her trek up the mountain trail.

* * *

_My beloved daughter._

Cloud growled as she heard the monstrosity Jenova calls her that. She had a mother and Jenova certainly wasn't it. She felt the outrage Jenova felt being called a monstrosity.

_Help me, beloved. The humans looked me away. I need your help._

"You're nothing but a parasite, you find peoples weakness and exploit it." Cloud bared her canines. As she had mountain dwellers blood through her mother albeit from a different village than Nibelhiem; her canines were longer and sharper than that of a normal person.

_Please together we can build a world where you live in your rightful place as ruler._

"I have no desire to rule at all."Cloud pulled the assembled First Tsurugi from her back and pressed it against the glass. Making sure it was where she wanted she pulled back her arms.

_No wait!_

Jenova screamed and Cloud grimaced as she heard her shrieks as she was pierced by First Tsurugi. Grabbing her Firaga material from her side pocket she charged it up. Pulling the blade from the glass; allowing the Mako to flow out she waited until it had almost completely drained and cast Firaga in rapid succession. Quickly Jenova's scream died out and there was nothing but ashes. She flick her blade to remove any traces of Mako still on it and rested it against her back. She walked away from the reactor but not before setting it ablaze using the strongest Firaga she could cast.

* * *

Cloud shook her hair to try and dislodge some of the dust which had settled in it. She had finally got to the room in which Vincent was kept. She was standing next to his coffin and trying to decide what the best way to wake him was. Finally she shrugged.

She kicked the coffin and waited a few seconds. The lid slowly opened to reveal an annoyed crimson glare.

"Who are you and why did you do that?"

She crossed her arms. "Someone who needs you to leave."

Vincent sat up. "No, I must atone for my sins." He laid back down and closed his eyes.

"So sleeping is going to atone for you not stopping Lucrecia? And failing to protect her son Sephiroth?"

That got his attention, "how do you know those names?" he saw her eyes, "are you with Shinra?"

Cloud grimaced, "no, like you I was an experiment although that will never happen now."

Vincent raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to say you are an experiment and yet you have yet to become one? A time traveller?"

Cloud tilted her head as she tried to decide the best way to tell him, "more like a traveller from an alternate reality."

"Alternate reality?"

Cloud nodded, "yes. Most things are the same as in my world; but something's are different."

Vincent seemed to understand. "If you're from an alternate world what business do you have here?"

"In my world Sephiroth goes insane after reading the details surrounding his birth. I need you to leave so I can burn this accursed place to the ground."

Vincent looked ready to protest when he zoned out. His eyes changed to bright gold. Cloud stiffened, Chaos.

"Well, well, well," Chaos purred. "Never did I expect this. I thought those like you had died out."

"What?"

Chaos grinned, "you don't know? How sad. Well I'm not going to tell you. You're just going to have to discover for yourself. None the less, I will head you request at this time, little Gaian." He stood up and seemed to meld into the shadows. Cloud could no longer feel him on the edge of her conciseness.

Cloud stood, brushed the dirt from her clothes. Walked to the door and took one last look at where Chaos had stood. "Oddball." She muttered and then continued on her way out of the mansion.

As she was leaving she systematically set fire to each and every room she walked past; however she did remember to grab some blankets from the cupboard. It was obvious to her that they had been washed recently and thus were relatively dustless. Once she had left the Mansion she turned and cast her strongest Firaga. The building was old and so it burnt very easily and intensely.

She knew that it was a few hours until dawn and she had to meet Tifa so she walked away from the giant bonfire and upon finding a piece of dirt that was relatively well hidden and a good distance from the mansion; she fell asleep.

* * *

Cloud could see her breath in the faint morning light. It was a few minutes until sunrise and she was waiting just outside the entrance to Nibelhiem for Tifa like she had asked. She had forgotten what sunrise in the mountains looked like. The light would slowly creep down the slopes created by the mountains and sunlight would then begin to pool in the village. It would light up the small pools which had formed over night. It was a beautiful picture.

Cloud pulled the blanket out from where she had it folded under her arm when she saw Tifa approaching. She had a small figure in her arms. She stood in front of Cloud with a apprehensive look as though she thought Cloud might go back on her deal.

"This him?" She questioned. She noted that the small figure in Tifa's arms stirred slightly when she spoke. Tifa nodded.

"Yes."

"How old is he?"

TIfa swallowed, "he's about 6 months old, he's been living with me and my dad since Miss Strife disappeared but dad was never happy about it. He doesn't care for him; in fact he won't notice he's gone." she walked so she was right in front of Cloud and made a notion for her to pick him up. Cloud reached out a hand to the small boy.

Just as she was about to touch him; a small hand unwound itself from where he was clutching Tifa's shirt. It hesitantly grasped Cloud's hand and when it did-

"Bartram." Cloud breathed.

Tifa looked confused but nodded. "yes that's his name, how did you know?"

Cloud's eyes flickered to Tifa but then back to her brother. "His hair. Its raven and Bartram means Bright Raven." Indeed her little brother had Raven hair which she had no doubt would hold a blue tint in the sun. She was unsure of where the colour had come from but possibly the father? He had the bright blue eyes of her mother and her though. It was spiky but not nearly as spiked as her had been in her baby photos.

Tifa nodded. She looked over her shoulder back at the village. "Listen I'm sorry but you two really need to leave."

Cloud nodded; she moved her hand, the one not grasped by the fingers and wrapped it around the boy. He tensed then relaxed. He latched onto her shirt and cuddled in. She gave a small smile at him. She wrapped the stolen blanket around him and felt his breathing slow down; signalling that he was asleep. She nodded at TIfa who then ran back inside the village and into her house. Making sure she had a tight hold on the babe in her arms; she began to walk down the long winding roads leading out of the Nibel mountains.

Cloud looked at the boy and smiled. He was very cherubic when he was sleeping. She had a bit more of a spring in her step as she walked.


	5. Choice

Cloud walked over to Bartram; putting away First Tsurugi as she did so. They had been walking for nearly two after having left Nibelhiem. She was thankful she had gotten supplies to care for a baby at the first town they had encountered after leaving Nibelhiem. However it had cost her the last of the money she had.

However luckily she discovered that they were willing to pay her a lot of money if she rid them of the monsters plaguing their village. So that was what she was doing. Whenever she went into one of these fights she made certain Bartram was well out of harm's way. She now wondered what her next course of action would be.

"What do you think Bartram? Should I head to Midgar?" She said looking down at her baby brother. She was happy that he was now smiling and not as pale as he had been. She realised why TIfa had asked her not to attack the village in retaliation to what was done to him. It was obvious Tifa had been taking care of him by herself. The villagers hadn't cared whether he lived or died.

She scowled; they were despicable. They didn't care if an innocent child lived or died. Although it didn't really surprise her all that much. She shook her head and looked at her brother. Intelligent bright blue eyes stared back at her.

"Looks like off to Midgar we go." She picked him up. "And it's time for a nap for you." Bartram started fusing. He didn't want to sleep. Not when there was so much to see.

Cloud tried for half an hour to make him fall asleep and racked her brain for anything that could help her. _A lullaby!_ That would help but what? She only knew a few and they were ones her mother had sang to her. She shrugged; picking one. it would have to do.

_Lay down your head  
And I'll sing you a lullaby  
Back to the years  
Of loo-li,lai-ley  
And I'll sing you to sleep  
And I'll sing you tomorrow  
Bless you with love  
For the road that you go_

_May you sail fair_  
_To the far fields of fortune_  
_With diamonds and pearls_  
_At your head and your feet_  
_And may you need never_  
_To banish misfortune_  
_May you find kindness_  
_In all that you meet_

_May there always be angels_  
_To watch over you_  
_To guard you each step of the way_  
_To guard you and keep you_  
_Safe from all harm_  
_Loo-li,loo-li,lai-ley_

_May you bring love_  
_And may you bring happiness_  
_Be loved in return_  
_To the end your days_  
_Now fall of to sleep_  
_I'm not meaning to keep you_  
_I'll just sit for awhile_  
_And sing_  
_Loo-li,lai-ley_

_May there always be angels_  
_To watch over you_  
_To guard you each step of the way_  
_To guard you and keep you_  
_Safe from all harm_  
_Loo-li,loo-li,lai-ley_  
_Loo-li,loo-li,lai-ley_

She sung as she walked and when she finished she looked down and smiled. Bartram was fast asleep. She hummed the melody to herself as she walked on her way to Midgar.

* * *

"What do you mean you haven't found this 'Skye' woman yet?" Sephiroth asked irritated. It had been nearly a month and a half since she had defeated Genesis and they still hadn't found her yet?

Tseng rubbed his nose trying to fight off a head ache and failing. "We're doing the best we can, she's is just very difficult to track. She must be keeping off the main roads. Besides she's not the only one we are trying to track down."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "Who else?"

Tseng glanced at him from the corner of his eye, "another young woman, she was wearing strange armour and killed a first class SOLDIER."

Angeal who was sitting next to Sephiroth's eyebrows rose. "There can't really be two females with the power to take down a SOLDIER let alone a first class one, can there?"

Veld looked up from where he was reading papers, "well they very well might be the same person. They have the same description, above shoulder length spiky blonde hair, bright blue eyes, around 5 foot 10 and looking to be 18 or 19 years old."

The door opened and the occupants turned to the arrivie. It was Genesis. Sephiroth wasn't sure what it was but since he had fought that young woman and been stabbed he had seemed healthier if that were possible.

Genesis dramatically sat in his seat; if that were possible. He turned his blue eyes to the TURKS in the room. "Any news on our missing mysterious lady?"

Tseng shook his head, "no but President Shinra is very interested in her. Given she was able to defeat you. Also the fact she has the colouring of those of Shinra is another matter of interest to him; as it is to Rufus and Lazard. They feel she may very well be a bastard daughter of his."

"That is a possibility," interrupted Lazard as he entered the room with Rufus in tow. Lazard took his usual chair while Rufus took a seat next to Tseng. He rested his head on his hands.

Genesis looked at Lazard, "what is going to happen to her when she is found?" It wasn't a matter of if she was found but when.

Lazard smiled, "President Shinra wishes for her to join Shinra."

That peaked all of the SOLDIER trio's interest. Sephiroth was the first to speak up,

"Why?"

Lazard sat back, "Why? Because she has the power of a SOLDIER and if she were to join up with AVALANCHE it could be disastrous."

Angeal frowned, "isn't eliminating her a option?" Not that he was exactly comfortable with that but still she was powerful enough to defeat Genesis.

"Yes it is an option however, President Shinra feels that it would be in our best interest to try and get her to join us. After all; if our suspicions prove true and she is indeed a bastard of Shinra then how would it look if it got out that the President had ordered the assassination of his daughter?" Veld explained.

The three SOLDIERS nodded.

Lazard turned to Genesis, "what did you think of her fighting abilities? Do you think she would join us?"

Genesis closed his eyes, "_Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess. We seek it thus, and take to the sky. Ripples form on the water's surface. The wandering soul knows no rest._"

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, "you don't think we've seen her full abilities and that she would be reluctant to tie herself down to Shinra?" She was obviously a curiosity to Genesis.

Genesis opened his eyes and nodded, "yes, she seemed to be more of someone who prefers not to stay in one place. But I'm sure if she had a persuasive enough reason she would stay."

"Angeal any complaints?" Lazard asked.

Angeal shook his head.

Lazard smiled; looking at the assembled group over his hands. His eyes flickered to Rufus who had been silent the entire time. "Well Rufus anything to add?"

Rufus's eyes flickered over to Lazard, "No; although it will be interesting if she joins. The only female SOLDIER." He allowed himself a small smirk at the idea of the reactions that would occur.

The others allowed a small chuckle although Angeal look slightly worried at the possible repercussions.

"I hope she isn't too much of a distraction should she join. Zack has a short enough attention span as it is." Angeal commented and Sephiroth as well as Genesis hid a smile. That was an understatement.

Just as they were about to get up and leave Rufus asked Veld "what of the armoured young woman who killed that first?"

The three SOLDIERS paused at the door. "We have no knew leads on her as of yet although it is possible that this 'Skye' woman and the armoured woman are one in the same. If so we will be killing two birds with one stone."

* * *

Cloud scrunched her nose up as the smells of Midgar's slums assaulted her. She felt her brother shift against her as the smells hit him. She knew why though; having lived in a Mountain town all his small life he had breathed only fresh air. Free from pollution and Midgar's slums air was full of it.

Cloud wondered what she would do now that she was in Midgar. She walked as she thought. She needed to find some place to sleep and she also needed to get some stuff for Bartram. She had no problem eating the monsters she had killed however Bartram was only very small and needed proper food. He could also do with a change of clothes.

She mentally went over the list of things she needed. Bartram needed food, clothes and toiletries. She needed to find somewhere to sleep. Cloud tch'ed, the money she had wouldn't be enough. She also couldn't really go hunting for more hides to sell as she couldn't find someplace safe to put him here in this city. She shook her head running over possibilities.

She looked up when her feet stopped at the base of some stairs. It was Aerith's Church. She clenched her teeth wondering whether or not she should go in when she saw Bartram reaching for the doors. He wanted to go in obviously. Cloud; although she knew it was a bad idea; walked in.

It wasn't all that much different from the Church in her world other than instead of water there were a variety of flowers. She walked so that she was directly in front on them and placed Bartram on the ground. He slowly crawled so he was right in front of them. He reached out to one and touched it.

"Oh my," came a voice Cloud never thought she'd hear again. She turned to face a young woman with brown hair and bright green eyes; standing in the entrance way to the Church. She was wearing a white dress.

"Sorry, he wanted to come in and well," Cloud trailed off unsure how to continue.

Aerith smiled, "Its fine." She nodded at Bartram who had turned to look at who was talking to his sister. "Is he your son? What's his name?"

Cloud blushed slightly, "he's ahh, he's actually my baby brother. His name is Bartram." She shifted slightly; she should have realised that people would think Bartram was her son.

Aerith nodded and walked over. She nodded at Cloud and crouched down in front of Bartram. Bartram reached a small hand out to Aerith and she grasped it. Bartram broke out into a toothless smile. Aerith giggled at the sweet tempered baby.

She looked up at Cloud, "you're brother is very sweet."

Cloud nodded. He was a very sweet tempered baby; she was lucky.

"Oh that's right mine name is Aerith Gainsborough, what's yours?" Aerith smiled up at Cloud.

Cloud hesitated slightly, "My name's Cloud Strife and he's Bartram Strife."

Aerith smiled at Cloud, it was obvious she didn't much care for talking. "Cloud and Bartram. You both have unusual names. What does his mean?"

"Bright Raven," Cloud responded.

Aerith shook hands with Bartram, "I'm going to guess that's because of his hair." She indicated his hair. She looked at Cloud, "did you know that Ravens were consecrated to Odin?"

Cloud nodded, she had been raised on those tales. "Yes."

They were interrupted when the Church doors suddenly opened. Cloud tensed when she saw who was standing there; it was Tseng and Elena. Cloud stared wearily at them. Elena smiled at her. "Good day, 'Skye'," Tseng said and nodded in greeting as did Elena. Cloud nodded in response to the both of them. Aerith just watched from her crouched position which thankfully hid Bartram from the TURKS eyes.

Tseng walked slightly closer and Cloud just managed to resist the urge to back up in response. She was staring at him with undisguised distrust. He stopped a few meters from her.

"We have a proposition for you," Tseng began.

Cloud cut in, "not interested."

Tseng ignored the fact she had interrupted him, "we would like for you to come work for us at Shinra."

Cloud twitched slightly, "work? For Shinra? Why? You must know I defeated one of your Firsts." Not to mention killed another.

Elena spoke up, "yes, we are aware and you have caught our interest." Cloud glanced at her but then drew her eyes back to Tseng. Aerith was silently watching.

Tseng nodded, "it is as Elena said. We know you defeated one of our Firsts and because of this we would like you to become the first female SOLDIER. You don't need Mako shots as you evidently have Mako already in your system. Which we are curious as to where you got it from."

Cloud tilted her head, "Mako poisoning, severe case. I had fallen into a Mako pool as a child."

Elena's eyebrows were raised. Tseng continued, "really? That's curious, wonder how you recovered. Anyway, will you join Shinra?"

"Why should I?"

"Because you can help make a difference that way." Aerith moved and unfortunately Tseng caught sight of Bartram. His eyebrow rose; his eyes flickered between Cloud and Bartram obviously picking up a resemblance between them despite the difference in hair colour. "And you'll be able to give your son a comfortable life."

Cloud twitched; Aerith giggled. That settled it then, everyone seemed to be of the opinion Bartram was her son. Elena's eyes were trained in on Bartram who was looking at her and Tseng with curiosity.

"Bartram is not my son," Cloud began; "he's my baby brother."

"Where's your mother?" Elena asked.

Cloud shrugged, "dead."

"Our condolences. But if you worked for us you could easily provide for Bartram was it?"

Cloud frowned, he had a point; if she did work for Shinra she could easily provide for Bartram and it would help her further her goals for Shinra. "But when I'm on mission's who would look after Bartram?"

Aerith spoke up, "I'd be happy to look after him for you." All three's attention turned to her.

Tseng spoke up, "if she can't do it then I'm sure some of the female TURKS would be happy to. Right Elena?"

Elena nodded, "yes we would. It would be relaxing for us."

Cloud frowned weighing the pros and cons. Pros: a stable income to provide for Bartram and herself, as well as shelter. Cons: working for Shinra, possibly run into Hojo. "Alright but where will I live?"

"Something will be arranged. Of course, we will need to test your strength before we give you a class naturally." Cloud nodded that was only fair.

"My name is Cloud Strife." She told him and Tseng nodded.

Tseng opened his mobile and began make the necessary preparations. Meanwhile Elena had crouched in front of Bartram and was now shaking hands with him.


	6. Impressions

_It's__ pretty simple, pretty obvious: that people's first impressions of people are really a big mistake._

Vincent D'Onofrio

* * *

Cloud sighed as she sat down on one of her new couches. She had been classed as First Class SOLDIER Strife. There would be an announcement in the morning to all SOLDIERS. Luckily she didn't have to be there; something she was grateful for. She looked at her hands; she leaned back into the couch. Looking around she decided it was nice; it wasn't too big but neither was it too small.

It was extremely comfortable; she yawned and realised she hadn't slept in nearly two days. Bartram was in bed in his new cot sleeping; she decided to get some shut eye. Her body relaxed and her mind drifted away.

* * *

Zack was excited, they were calling in all the SOLDIERS for an announcement. Kunsel his friend rolled his eyes or Zack thought he did, he couldn't really tell given that Kunsel was still wearing that blasted helmet!

That thing had to be indestructible; seriously he'd stolen it a number of times from Kunsel and tried to destroy it. First he had dropped it from the top of Shinra building that hadn't worked but he had nearly hit Hojo. He'd been scrubbing toilet's for a week because of that one, then he had rigged up the strongest explosives he could find, still nothing. Then he'd tried extra concentrated acid nope. He'd tried liquid nitrogen and then smashing; survived. One of these days he'd get that helmet.

Kunsel elbowed him in the gut and Zack's attention returned to the front. Lazard was in the centre of the stage and he began speaking. "I'm sure you are all curious as to why you have been gathered here. This is a first, never before has there been a female SOLDIER."

There was silence; Zack nearly had to physically pick his jaw up from the floor. A female in SOLDIER? Why was this the first time they were hearing about this! Suddenly chatter broke out amongst the gathered SOLDIER.

Lazard cleared his throat; "yes this is a shook however, she is your comrade and as such I require that you treat her with respect. Don't think she is weak, she is a First Class SOLDIER and can defeat you. Dismissed." Lazard left the stage.

* * *

Zack bounded up to Angeal who was speaking with Sephiroth and Genesis. "Did you hear! There's a female in SOLDIER and she's a first class!"

Angeal resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he listened to the antics of his former student. "Yes Zack, I know. I was there when the decision to make her a SOLDIER was first discussed."

Zack calmed down slightly at that. He had an unidentifiable look on his face. Angeal was about to ask what was wrong when Zack grabbed his hand and began to drag him to where the firsts lived. Sephiroth and Genesis followed. Sephiroth fighting off a smirk and Genesis reading LOVELESS.

"Where are we going Zack?" Angeal questioned.

Zack turned back to his former mentor, "to go see her of course!"

Sepiroth spoke up, "Zackary do you even know what number her apartment is?"

Zack stopped, he turned around and rubbed his hand against his head as he stood there grinning, "err-no?" Genesis shook his head and closed LOVELESS.

"She's in apartment 18."

Zack brightened than got a suspicious look on his face, "how would you know that Genesis? Are you stalking her?"

Genesis just gave him a blank look; then shook his head.

"Zackary, we were told by Lazard where we could find her so that we could give our welcome." Sephiroth explained.

Zack nodded, "that makes sense. Well what are we waiting for?" He resumed on his way to Cloud's apartment. Although not dragging Angeal behind him this time.

* * *

Cloud twitched as she returned to conciseness. What had woken her? Oh the doorbell. Cloud stretched as she stood. She glanced at the clock, it was already ten in the morning. Huh she'd slept the entire night away and it seems as though Bartram did as well. He seemed to be still asleep but her eyes flickered over to the door; if that continued to ring not for much longer. She stalked over to the door and opened it.

Her eyes widening at the site of Zack, Genesis, Angeal and Sepiroth at her door. Zack was staring at her, suddenly he squealed and hugged her. She jumped not really expecting that.

He pulled back and stuck out his hand, "hiya! I'm Zack Fair. What's your name?"

She looked at him and then at the three SOLDIERS behind him and back at him again, she took his hand. "Cloud Strife."

She heard a snort from one of the three SOLDIERS and glanced at them then back again.

Zack had a mischievous grin on his face; one she wasn't sure she liked all that much. "Can I call you Chocobo?"

Cloud's eyebrow twitched. "What?"

"You hair for some reason reminds me of a chocobo."

Cloud looked at him with a blank stare, "well you remind me off a puppy-dog."

Zack looked at her with something akin to shook. Angeal stepped forward, "sorry about him. My names Angeal Hewley. It's a pleasure to meet you." He shook her hand.

Cloud muttered a likewise.

Sephiroth was next although he had been apparently pushed forward by Genesis if the disgruntled look he sent him was any indication. "General Sephiroth. A pleasure."

Cloud nodded at him and then Genesis stepped forward.

"Genesis Rhapsodos. It's a pleasure to formally meet." He took her left hand and kissed it smirking up at her. She simple raised an eyebrow and motioned for them to close the door and follow her. She missed the slightly afronted look Genesis had on his face. Cloud stopped and turned to face Genesis.

"How was the injury?"

Genesis smirked, "it healed fine." Cloud nodded and continued to walk; the others following behind her.

She led them into the living room and motioned for them to sit. She took a single chair and faced them. It was silent for a good five minutes until.

"Gah! That was so awkward!" Zack naturally was the first to speak. "Hmm why don't we get to know each other by playing twenty questions!"

Cloud shrugged. Zack grinned, "Okay Cloud how old are you?"

Cloud blinked. Why did he want to know her age? Oh well might as well answer. "I'm 21."

All four SOLDIERS stared at her. "What?" she asked.

Genesis spoke up, "you're 21?"

Cloud nodded.

"It's just you don't look it." Angeal said hesitantly.

Cloud nodded understandable. She turned to Genesis, "how old are you?"

Genesis flipped his hair back, "I'm 24. Seph, how old are you?"

"I'm 23 and don't call me Seph. Angeal how old are you?"

"Same as Genesis." Angeal responded.

"I'm twenty," Zack spoke up.

Cloud was about to ask Angeal a question when crying rang out from Bartram's room. Zack got a wide eyed look on his face, Sephiroth got a curious look and Genesis as well as Angeal were looking at her with something akin to shock. Cloud sighed and went into Bartram's rooms.

He was sitting up in his cot and raised his hands towards her. She pulled him from the cot and set him on the change table. Once she had finished changing him; she brought him out of the room and into the kitchen mixing some formula for him. Once that was done she entered the living room and sat down.

All the SOLDIERS eyes were on her or more specifically on the toddler in her arms. Zack spoke up first.

"Umm Cloud? Is that your kid?"

Cloud shook her head. "No, he's my little brother."

"Oh." Zack got out of his chair and approached Cloud. He stopped and kneeled in front of her. "Can I hold him?"

Cloud nodded and allowed Zack to grab Bartram. Bartram looked at Zack with his big blue eyes. He seemed to like what ever it was he saw and so he snuggled up to Zack and Zack grinned like a maniac only to adopt a look of horror when a camera went off. Genesis had taken a picture of the _._

* * *

Don't forget to vote for pairings. I will be taking it down sometime in the next few weeks i think.


	7. Time Skip

Flipping Cloud hit the wall; she braced herself and then launched straight back at Angeal. Her right arm caught him under the chin and forced him to move back with her. While still in motion she made a hand stand while her feet came to rest on either side of Angeal's head. Grasping she used her momentum so that Angeal hit the ground with his back in front of her. She removed her legs from their place and stood up.

Hearing clapping she looked over at the observers. Her little brother was watching them fight as were Genesis, Sephiroth and Zack. Five years had come and gone in what seemed to her the blink of an eye. She had yet to get rid of Hojo but she was working on it. Sephiroth and the others knew she came from a destroyed world.

She had to confide in them when she had a great black wing tear itself from her right shoulder. Angeal, Genesis and Sephiroth all had them and wanted to know how she had one when as far as they were aware they were the only Jenova projects. They had been shocked and more than a little curious at how exactly she had gotten to their world. Zack's reaction had been hilarious when she had first spread her wing around him. He had jumped; Bartram had only one response. He wanted her to take him flying.

Hearing footsteps on the stairs leading into the training area Cloud turned and smiled when she saw her brother Bartram. He had spiky hair and bright blue eyes. He was a cute kid and could win the heart of everyone around him. Lazard and Rufus loved having him as a 'brother' even if they weren't actually related by blood. The fact that Bartram was her brother made them treat him as a sibling to.

Lazard, Rufus and Cloud had a good sibling relationship between them. It had taken work a lot of work but they had finally succeeded. She gave a small grunt in fake pain when he bounded into her. Bartram wrapped his arms around his sister and snuggled in slightly. She threaded her hands though his hair, it was long enough to pull back into a small ponytail and had a blue tint to it in the sunlight.

"That was so awesome! You totally rock!" He paused and turned to Angeal. "Sorry Uncle Angeal." Yes Bartram had taken to calling Zack, Genesis, Sephiroth and Angeal uncle. She still remembered Sephiroth's expression the first time Bartram called him that.

He had gotten a deer in the head light look. She wished she had a camera at that moment. Zack had had a camera and had taken a photo but unfortunately Sephiroth had smashed the thing. That would have made a great addition to her collection of photographs.

Yes she felt life was good but she knew that it wouldn't last forever. A lot had happened in the last five years. They had had to stop Angeal from degrading, they had tried everything and finally Genesis had simply grabbed the same blade that had stabbed him and stabbed Angeal. Angeal had the same reaction as Genesis. Zack had been made a first. Aerith had gotten engaged and married albeit in secret. They had investigated who had burned down Shinra Mansion and the Nibelhiem Reactor but they never found anything. It wasn't the way she had thought her life would be at age 26 but she couldn't really think of any way she preferred it. Yes she missed the friends she had lost but here they were alive and living lives they should have lived before Jenova screwed things up.

One thing Cloud had noticed however was that she had stopped aging as soon as she actually looked 21. The others were the same now as they had been when they first met. It worried her. She felt her agelessness had something to do with being called Child of Gaia by complete strangers. Even the old man from Nanaki's village had called her that. The others had something similar. Genesis: Crimson one. Sepiroth: Silver one. Angeal: Black one and Zack: Raven one.

She shook her head: today was not that day to be thinking about those things! It was Bartram's birthday or when they celebrated it at the very least. She followed the group out of the training room and back to her apartment. There she brought out the cake from the kitchen.

"Happy Birthday!" they all sang as Bartram blew out the candles on his cake. Cloud had baked it. She was the cook in the group as was Angeal; they were the only two who could actually make something edible and not burn down the Kitchen whilst trying such as Genesis. He could make delicious Banora Apple pie; ask him to cook anything else and he was a walking disaster. Zack and Sephiroth? Yeah not even going to go there.

Bartram laughed as he tore apart the paper covering the gifts. He gave a triumphant shout when the torn paper revealed a new toy car. He was obsessed with them. She knew one day he would make a great mechanic as long as his interest in them remained. Yes Cloud thought; it was nothing like the life she thought she'd lead but she didn't mind.

* * *

"What?" Cloud stared at her half brother. If what he was saying was true this was perfect.

Lazard nodded, "yes it seems as though Hojo has taken to working with the terrorists."

Her fingers dug into the arm rests of the chair she was sitting in, "and we have orders to eliminate him? Why not the TURKS? Surely something like this would be better left to them right?' Why was she being given this mission? it made no sense to her.

"Yes normally this would be true however, Rufus and I felt it better if you take the mission. That way you know he is dead."

Cloud nodded. She got up to leave and stopped at the door. _This was it. She could now remove the final piece in the puzzle._ And put an end to this part of her task. She needed to stop Shinra from sucking the life from the planet however.

* * *

Cloud wasn't even bothered as she bathed in Hojo's blood. The scientist who had nearly brought about the end of the world was now dead. She watched as he returned to the life stream. She sealed the laboratory never even seeing that one computer was still active and running.

The others were waiting for her outside the lab.

"So it's over now is it?" Genesis questioned.

"As far as I can see it is." Cloud responded.

Zack pumped his fists in the air, "to celebrate let's go and drink! Ahh but maybe you should wash up first Cloud."

Cloud smirked; imagining what would happen should she waltz into a bar right now. Yes pandemonium.

* * *

Isn't insomnia wonderful? I know this seems rather anti-climatic but the time-skip is necessary for the next arc. Since I'm already this far. I'm taking the poll down and using a random number generator to determine the pairing as there is a three way tie. It will be the first that get's to three that will be the pairing and I'll hopefully put the pairing into the next chapter.


	8. Begining of the End

Darkness reigned in the sealed laboratory. The single light and beeping coming from the single flashing computer was cut off when a sword came crashing down on it; blanketing the room in complete darkness. A figure grabbed the sword and vanished from the sealed laboratory.

* * *

The cavern was desolate and dark. Columns of rocks rose up out of the water and ended in peaks; the air was stale and stank. No moonlight pierce the hole in the top. The armored figure walked soundlessly and on the water without making a ripple just as easily as if they were walking on solid ground. They suddenly stopped in the middle of the large cavern. For a few moments nothing disturbed the silence which seemed to echo within the cavern.

"_Why have one of your kind come out?_" a crackly voice rang out in the darkness. It was full of spite and suspicion.

"I have come to seek your aid, oath breaker." came the response from the armored figure now revealed as a woman. She didn't sound old physically but something in the way she spoke hinted at her real age.

"_Kekeke, and why would one such as yourself seek aid from me? The one you know as Oath Breaker._" The voice sounded almost mocking; however if the figure noticed then she didn't react at all.

"Because we cannot win by our strength alone, and you are rumored to be the only one other than the Goddess capable of wakening and controlling WEAPONS." She explained to the voice.

"_You heard correctly. However I am bound here for eternity to pay for what I did unless freed by one of the kind who bound me._"

"I have been made aware of this and that is why I have come to free you and in return you aid us." She had been chosen to free the owner of the voice from their imprisonment if they joined them.

"_Aid you in what en-devour young one?_"

The young woman reached up and removed her helmet, dark brown hair fell in waves and glowing bright blue eyes opened. "We are going to bring about the end of the plague known as humans."

"_Interesting. Your kind is supposed to protect them are you not and yet you are trying to destroy them? Why?_"

"They take and take without remorse. They feel nothing about hurting their own kind. I'm not alone; this is the desire of all my sisters and I." The young woman smirked.

"_But what of the one who aids the humans?_" The woman knew who she spoke of; all of them did.

"She knows naught of what she truly is and that way it shall stay. We will kill her before she becomes a problem."

"_Very well, it will be nice to walk in the light once more.__ But first your name._"

"My name is Bryher." The woman walked out of the cavern and into the sunlight.

"Well?" came a voice from her right.

Glancing over she looked at her younger half sister who was leaning against the rocks. She resembled their mother greatly what with her spiky blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

"Oath Breaker has agreed to aid us." Bryher answered.

Her half sister smirked, "I'll gather the others." She kicked off from where she was leaning against the wall.

"I wonder Cadelia, if you can really do it. Can you kill her? That girl who would be the death of our plans. Cloud Strife?"

Cadelia looked back with cold blue eyes, "do not underestimate me dear sister, she will not stand in our way for long." She walked off and Bryher was left standing in front of the entrance alone.

A cold cruel, ruthless smirk found its way onto her face, "Let's bring about Ragnarok shall we?"


	9. First Encounter

"What do you mean Costa Del Sol is gone?" Zack said.

Lazard glanced at him. "Costa Del Sol was destroyed along with the Mako reactor. Several other towns have been destroyed although they are much smaller and more out of the way."

He looked around at the assembled group. Genesis, Angeal, Sephiroth, Cloud and Zack were on one side of the table. Rufus sat opposite him and the TURKS were opposite the SOLDIERS. All of them were wearing disturbed faces even though some of them tried to hide it.

Angeal spoke up, "and there is no evidence at all as to who is responsible?"

Rufus shook his head, "although we had at first suspected AVALANCHE but."

Tseng finished, "we suspected AVALANCHE's involvement right up until we discovered them dead. Someone had literally slashed their way through them. Also there are no witnesses from the cities and towns which have been destroyed because they were all killed."

"So you mean we know absolutely nothing and there are killers who don't care whom they murder?" Sephiroth asked.

Tseng nodded.

"The only thing we can do we so little to go on is to send you into investigate Costa Del Sol. Hopefully you will find something and yes we have deemed it necessary to send all five of you in. There were SOLDIERS stationed in Costa Del Sol and even they were eliminated. Be careful and look out for each other. Dismissed."

The five SOLDIERS left the meeting room. Each having their own troubling thoughts. Who or what could have the capability to do this?

"Looks like Lazard wasn't kidding. There really isn't much left of Costa Del Sol is there?" Zack question.

* * *

Cloud's bright blue eyes swept over the city, in less the a day the once bustling sea side city was now no more than a pile of rubble. Even more disturbing for her despite haw macabre it sounded was the lack of dead bodies. That made her wonder; if the bodies of the citizens weren't here then where could they be?

"What exactly happened here?" Angeal wondered out loud from where he was crouched in front of a child's toy.

"They have come back into this world," a voice Cloud hadn't heard in five years rang out.

She spun on her heals. Upon seeing the golden eyes her own bright blue narrowed. "Chaos, what do you want?"

Chaos smirked and Cloud noted the differences Vincent or in this case Chaos had gone through in the last five years. His hair was now nearly Sephiroth's in length; with blood red tips and was tied into a ponytail. He still had the hair band which was holding back his fringe but instead of the bright red cloak he was wearing a black hoody and a red shirt underneath. He had ditched the golden shoes for black sneakers and instead of a golden claw he now had gloves on both hands. He pants were a dark crimson in colour.

"My dear, do I need a reason to see a friend?" Chaos questioned.

"Cloud you know this man?" Sephiroth 's eye's flickered between Chaos and Cloud.

Cloud nodded, "he is Chaos herald to the WEAPON Omega. He was sealed into the TURK Vincent Valentine. Although why he is here I don't know."

Chaos grinned showing his sharp canines in their entirety. "So Shinra has finally started investigating eh? Wondered how many lives would be lost until they started investigating; not that it matters to me."

"What do you mean?" Genesis eyes trained in on the dark looking individual whose red eyes flickered towards him.

"Shinra only knows of a few towns destruction; there are far more than they are aware of." Chaos suddenly vanished. The SOLDIERS looked around trying to see where he had gone.

"Look at what we have here," a female voice rang out. The SOLDIERS turned to the source who was standing or rather sitting on top of a piece of rubble. "A couple of Shinra dogs." She leaned forward and Cloud had the feeling she was glaring at them although she couldn't see behind the helmet she was wearing.

"Who are you?" Genesis demanded.

"Me? I'm known as Tsuki." She tilted her head to the side. "I'm not impressed; I'd thought that Shinra was the best of the best and yet they seen _children_?"

Sephiroth frowned, "you don't sound all that much older than us."

The armoured woman laughed, once she had calmed down, "oh I am much older than you, Silver." She stood silently an amazing feat considering she was covered in armour. "i would fight you however; I have a busy schedule. They will play with you instead."

Ferocious snarls came from all around them. The SOLDIERS eyes picked up great hulking shapes in the shadows cast by the ruins. One by one the shapes came out into the lights.

"Fenrir," Cloud breathed. Impossible! But here they were in front of her. Great black and silver streaked wolves the same size as Nibel wolves but with more of a crazed look to them. Their teeth from what she could see were razor sharp. There was perhaps five of them surrounding them; one on one battle.

The SOLDIERS divided and each took a wolf. They were strong; it felt to Cloud that she was fighting a first class albeit an insane first class only driven by blood but still a first class. She blocked the wolf's frontal charge and bit back a groan on seeing it jump into the air. She spilt First Tsurugi into two sword.

Trying to think of the legends she was told as a child on how Fenrir was defeated. She got an idea; it wouldn't kill them but it would hopefully drive them away.

"Slash it across the eyes!" she called to her companions without tearing her eyes away from the hulking wolf in front of her.

Fighting an animal such as this was completely different than fighting a human. With humans you could usually tell what they were going to do based upon their body language but with an animal that didn't work. She eyed it and knew it was watching her as well; waiting for any opportunity to strike.

Suddenly it lunged at her; she dodged it and brought the small of her blades sweeping across it eyes. It howled out in pain; gaining the attention of its fellow wolves. They were all about to attacker when for now identifiable reason they retreated.

Watching as the last of them vanished from the shadows. Cloud heard her friends come up behind her.

"What were those things?" Angeal asked.

Cloud turned to him slightly, "Fenrir's I think. I'm not certain though but if they are then I know who we are dealing with."

"Who?" Sephiroth demanded.

"If they were indeed Fenrir's; the only things I know of that Fenrir's fight alongside of are Valkyrie's."

"You're kidding. Valkyrie's?" Genesis muttered. Cloud should have known he would know what they were.

"Okay seriously what are Valkyrie's?" Zack questioned.

Cloud turned around so she was face to face with the group in front of her. "Valkyrie's. Ancient legend's say that they are female's clad in Armour who led brave warrior's souls to Valhalla or paradise; that they were kind. However I heard differently growing up; Valkyrie's are supposed to be protectors not guides. They lived during the time of the Ancients and it was reportedly a Valkyrie whom was taken over by Calamity."

"If it was a Valkyrie whom was taken over by Jenova why didn't the other's destroy her; why didn't the planet?" Sephiroth questioned.

Cloud's eyes flickered over at him then back again. "Because the Valkyrie's couldn't kill their own sister and the planet couldn't murder her own child even if she was trying to destroy them all."

Genesis gaped then, "wait planet's daughter?"

Cloud nodded, "occasionally from what I heard, the Goddess would descent to live amongst humans and she would have a child. The baby she bore was always female. The children she had were known as Valkyrie's." Cloud spoke.

"And these children did they have any children? If so would it be possible for a boy to be born?"

Cloud shook her head, "possibly however that is unlikely. No male child has ever been known to have been born to a Valkyrie. Any way it's best not to linger in a Valkyrie's battlefield, strange things happen to those whom are slayed by a Valkyrie."


	10. EpiloguePotential Sequel

I know I know I skipped straight from the revelation of the Valkyries to here but it will make sense what happened in regards to the Valkyries should I start the sequel.

* * *

Twenty years had passed since the Valkyries attempted to destroy the world. No one was sure what exactly happened. The five SOLDIERS whom had been at the front lines vanished at the same time as the Valkyries.

Aerith's tired green eyes looked at Bartram and Alana her daughter. So much had changed; people no longer remembered Shinra and the lifestyle people had once lived. Only she did. Also the five SOLDIERS had seemingly vanished from peoples memories; Bartram didn't even know he had a sister. Aerith knew that at least for now the time of great heroes and beast was over. Soon the last vestiges of her power would leave her too and with it her memories of the true past. Before that however she wanted to at least finish writing the tales. Even if they were only thought of as legend at least those legends would live on. She clasped her and and closed her eyes; opening herself to the planet.

_We are monsters._

_We're still here.  
_

_Don't forget what we fought for! What we are fighting for!  
_

_You're a fool.  
_

_Everyday you have is a gift, not a right; do not forget that.  
_

_Its our choices not our abilities nor what we are that determine who we are._

* * *

Shit, shit, shit. Professor Snape was going to kill them. The pair bolted towards the classroom as fast as they could. Slamming open the door the pair ducked as a spell was thrown their way. Looking back they saw it had created minor cracks in the wall.

"This is the third time this week you two. Detention and twenty points from Gryffindor. Take a seat."

The pair slowly walked to their seats; walking past the silver haired and red haired slytherins; ignoring their smirks. They felt it lucky that their friend the Ravenclaw didn't have this class with them.

They took their seats with their three best friends, Harry, Hermione and Ron.

Hermione leaned forward, "what kept you two?"

The raven haired boy leaned forward, "sorry overslept."

The blonde was about to say something as well when they were cuffed on the back of the heads. The pair turned to see the furious eyes of their potions teacher.

"See me after class, Fair and Strife."

* * *

The blonde figure on the bed was tossing and turning as they were stuck in the grips of a nightmare. Small whimpers came out of their mouth as they thrashed. Startling blue eyes opened and the figure shot up in bed. The last words from their dream echoing in their head. The voice which had haunted their dreams for as long as they could remember.

They looked outside the window eyes gaining a luminescence they didn't have before. _What is happening to me?_


End file.
